Marcus Morris brings aggressiveness to Celtics

Saturday

The forward has been ejected from the past two home games, and he feels the punishments were not warranted.

WALTHAM- There are three possible opening-round playoff opponents for the Celtics, and Marcus Morris is rooting against one of the options.

Morris is hoping the Celtics get the postseason going next weekend against either the Miami Heat or the Milwaukee Bucks and not the Washington Wizards.

The reason? The forward would rather avoid going head-to-head with his twin brother, Markieff Morris, right away in the playoffs.

“I honestly don’t want to play them first because it’s my brother,’’ said Morris following practice on Saturday afternoon. “We’re going to war. When I go out there, like I’ve been telling him, this is war time. This is like fighting for your life out here.

“I hate for it to be that bully to my brother in the first round when I know it’s going to be the same (for him). I’m like, ’Kieff, come on, man, get to the sixth or the eighth (seed to avoid the Celtics).’ ’’

All of that will sort itself out in the next few days, and the second-seeded Celtics will play next Saturday or Sunday against either the Heat (43-37), the Bucks (42-37 before playing the Knicks Saturday night) or the Wizards (42-38).

The Celtics are playing out the string with three meaningless games to go, the next one Sunday afternoon against the lottery-bound Atlanta Hawks at the TD Garden (1:05 p.m., TV: NBC Sports Boston; radio: WBZ-98.5 FM).

After being ejected the past two home games, Morris won’t get the chance to be booted against the Hawks. The Celtics are going to sit out the forward in order to get him some rest, just like they did with Al Horford and Jayson Tatum Friday night.

Morris was kicked out in the closing seconds of a win over the Toronto Raptors on March 31, then was tossed in the third quarter of Friday night’s win over the Chicago Bulls – the same night his brother was also ejected from the Wizards game against the Hawks.

“We both were hotheads in colleges,’’ said Morris. “I’ve been getting techs my entire life. I think it’s just passion for the game. I just love playing the game.

“Going into the playoffs, that’s nothing to worry about. I promise I won’t get techs unless we’re just getting blatantly cheated. I won’t put my team in jeopardy.’’

Morris, who is averaging 13.7 points in 53 games, has brought toughness to the Celtics this season after being acquired last July for Avery Bradley.

But the two ejections from recent Garden games, Morris feels, were not warranted since he was just jawing with opponents and not arguing with referees.

In the Raptors game, Morris took exception to CJ Miles fouling him with 10 seconds to go in a game that had been decided. The discussion continued at the foul line after he had received a technical foul, and Morris was kicked out.

Against the Bulls, Morris pushed Bobby Portis after he had said something to Morris. After they were given technicals, they kept talking and were sent to the locker room.

“He had a couple words, which was fine with me,’’ said Morris. “He kind of came in my space and I just gave him a little push. I didn’t think it was that serious. The refs again overreacted.

“It just went too far, as far as the referees. At the end of the day, we’re grown men. It’s the NBA, it’s not college, it’s not high school. We weren’t saying anything that was harmful or anything. He said what he had to say, I said what I had to say and the ref just felt like they had to take control of which I thought was kind of too much.’’

Morris said he feels like he is getting the “Rasheed Wallace treatment’’ from officials.

“I’m trying to do what’s best for the team,’’ said Morris. “I’m not trying to be a bully to get kicked out of the game. I’m not having conversations with referees. They’re doing too much by throwing guys out of the game.

“Because of my reputation, I think they’re just throwing me out. I haven’t done anything this year to tarnish my reputation. I feel I’ve doing really well with the referees.’’

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